Online chess community where you can play chess, learn strategies and tactics, read chess news, see book reviews, find rules & tips, get free downloads, and more! http://www.chess.com/ 2007 Chess.com At the Chess Olympiad of Muniche 1958 the later chess word champion Michael Tal reached with 13,5/15 points (board 5) a very impressive result. More than this he played also one of the best games in that tournament. After 16 moves he reached  fo...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/a-brilliant-pawn-sac-to-open-the-positionThu, 09 Feb 2012 01:53:13 -0800http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/a-brilliant-pawn-sac-to-open-the-positionA game normally has several phases. The exchange of pieces or a change in pawn structure can be natural breaks between two phases.  Often the exchange of the queens is such a break ...     In this position White played 25. Qxe5 to force a ...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/excellent-piece-play-after-queen-exchangeMon, 16 Jan 2012 05:11:33 -0800http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/excellent-piece-play-after-queen-exchange In the following game Ex World Champion Petrosian decided to exchange the queens combined with a pawn sac. This opened the way for his rook and knight into the black position ...       http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-exchange-of-queens-with-decisive-advantageThu, 05 Jan 2012 09:33:38 -0800http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-exchange-of-queens-with-decisive-advantageThis morning I saw following interesting endgame position in a book   Of course, this is a better position for White. His dominate king position gives him a clear advantage. But will it be enough for a win?                  Â...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-breakthrough-in-a-bishop-endgameSat, 24 Dec 2011 06:38:12 -0800http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-breakthrough-in-a-bishop-endgame                                            Last week I showed in two training lessons an interesting technique: Break open a Bishop Barrier!  "Well, that sounds cool. But what is a Bishop Barrier?" s...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/break-open-a-bishop-barrierMon, 12 Dec 2011 01:36:43 -0800http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/break-open-a-bishop-barrierSome years ago I played an OTB-game against a very strong opponent. And already in the opening I came into great difficulties. But see yourself:    At this point of the game I knew surely that I would be defeated within the next ten moves i...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/a-pawn-offer-at-the-right-momentFri, 25 Nov 2011 12:21:25 -0800http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/a-pawn-offer-at-the-right-moment"Improve your own pieces, restrict those of your opponent!"                         is the main rule according piece play in chess. Please look at the following position:   Well, this does look almost equal you may th...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/a-knight-goes-eastTue, 11 Oct 2011 23:50:49 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/a-knight-goes-east                              Passers in a bishop endgame   So, when you are looking at following position. What do you think is going on? (Please, do not use any engine, but your brain :-)) http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/passed-pawns-1Wed, 07 Sep 2011 09:35:10 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/passed-pawns-1During the last 4 articles we saw how GM Andersson managed to reach following favorable endgame position     White`s advantage is obvious. His king is in a superior position and in combination with his h5- pawn he controls the black extra pa...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/good-knight-vs-bad-bishop--the-whole-story-in-one-game-5Sun, 03 Apr 2011 06:21:49 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/good-knight-vs-bad-bishop--the-whole-story-in-one-game-5We started with the question, how GM Andersson managed to reach such a favourable endgame with a superknight against a bad bishop       And I told you that I didn´t happen by chance, but through hard work. In the previous three posts you...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/good-knight-vs-bad-bishop---the-whole-story-in-one-game-4Wed, 16 Mar 2011 03:02:29 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/good-knight-vs-bad-bishop---the-whole-story-in-one-game-4We are looking forward to see how GM Andersson reached following advantageous endgame position   As you could see in the both previous articles the game started with an English hedgehog opening White managed to control queenside and center,...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/good-knight-vsbad-bishop--the-whole-story-in-3Mon, 07 Mar 2011 01:40:46 -0800http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/good-knight-vsbad-bishop--the-whole-story-in-3Last time I showed following endgame position     How White could get such a good position? We started with the opening phase: Good Knight vs. bad Bishop - The whole story in one game (1)   Today we shall continue with the early middle...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/good-knight-vs-bad-bishop---the-whole-story-in-one-game-2Mon, 21 Feb 2011 03:07:13 -0800http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/good-knight-vs-bad-bishop---the-whole-story-in-one-game-2Please look at the following position:     Wouldn`t you like to reach such a good position with White? He has a dominant kingposition and also the clearly better minor piece!                                 Â...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/good-knight-vsbad-bishop---the-whole-story-in-one-game-1Wed, 09 Feb 2011 04:41:26 -0800http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/good-knight-vsbad-bishop---the-whole-story-in-one-game-1The different value of minor pieces is a very big theme in chess.  So here a simple example with a good Knight and a bad Bishop       Here Black has the typical "bad" French Bishop. He is limited through his own pawns . And even if he ...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-different-value-of-minor-pieces-good-knight-vs-bad-bishopSun, 30 Jan 2011 05:39:41 -0800http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-different-value-of-minor-pieces-good-knight-vs-bad-bishopMore most of you surely know what is called a "bad bishop". It is normally one that is blockaded through his own pawns. Here an example     The picture speaks for itself! No wayout for the Bc8 in this moment. But naturally, moving d- or e...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/a-bad-bishop-should-remain-a-bad-oneWed, 12 Jan 2011 04:43:30 -0800http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/a-bad-bishop-should-remain-a-bad-onePresumely you know it already but installing a pawn in the near of your opponent`s king can have "amazing" effects. Please first look at my first example. The position came up in the game between strong female chess players (- it could naturally ...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/a-dangerous-pawn-in-the-near-of-opponents-kingSat, 25 Dec 2010 03:25:15 -0800http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/a-dangerous-pawn-in-the-near-of-opponents-kingI think everyone has his/her own stories about the the theme "coincidence" in chess. My short "coincidence"-story is from last Friday in my Chessclub. On that evening I had given a lesson when it came to following position     White would`t...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-coincidence-in-chessMon, 06 Dec 2010 06:06:41 -0800http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-coincidence-in-chessWe know that normally in chess the King is a noble and smart "Sovereign". He leaves the  work to the other pieces and and relaxes in a well-sheltered  hiding place, observing the ongoing battle. But sometimes, he leaves his fortress with dignit...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-walk-of-the-quotmajestyquotSun, 24 Oct 2010 06:31:28 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-walk-of-the-quotmajestyquotPlease look at the following position:                             It is more than obvious that white has here a clear adventage. He controls the only open file with his rook(s) and his Nc5 and his Bc3 are well-pla...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-power-of-the-kingSun, 10 Oct 2010 04:12:12 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-power-of-the-kingThe king position in an endgame can become the decisive factor, can make the difference. Please look at the following position. It is a postmortem analysis of one of my own games:       The better position of the white king is eye-catchin...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-better-kingposition-in-endgameTue, 14 Sep 2010 06:00:53 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-better-kingposition-in-endgame